Progressive transverse severing device



March 12, 1963 H. A. SPLEES PROGRESSIVE TRANSVERSE SEVERING DEVICE Filed April 9, 1958 United States PatentO PROGRESSIVE TRANSVERSE SEVERING DEVICE Harry A. Spices, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Fiied Apr. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 727,365

2 Claims. (Cl. 83--162) and the like carries the graphic original, together with the sheet of heat-sensitive copying-paper, past a source of intense radiation, by means of a continuous belt and a supporting roller. Radiation which is preferentially absorbed in the printed characters then produces a corresponding heat-pattern in the heat-sensitive copying-paper, resulting in a visible copyof the graphic original. The apparatus will produce copies of typewritten letters of the usual 8V2 x 11 inch size at a rate of one every few seconds.

The present invention makes possible thercopying of graphic originals of extended length, such as charts, graphs, etc., on the letter-copying apparatus as just described and without any modification. The heat-sensitive copying-paper is made available in any desired length and at any. width up to the capacity of the copying-machine. The copying-paper is easily cut to desired length during the copying operation, i.e. while the strip is in motion, and without endangering the copy, the original, or the machine. Adjustment of the copy-machine controls is accomplished without interference. These and other advantages 'are provided by means of novel adapter apparatus as herein described, and of which a preferred form is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. In the drawngs FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of the adapter apparatus shown in conjunction with an oifice thermocopying machine such as the Fourteen Model 20 Thermo- Fax copying machine, indicated in dotted lines;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic representation of components of the adapter and machine showing the path of the copyingpaper;

FIGURE 3 is a detail, partly in section, of a roll support and brake member;

FIGURES 46 are detail views ofthe movable cutter knife assembly;

FIGURE 7 is an edge elevation, partly in section, and FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of a handle member for said cutter knife;

FIGURE 9 is an elevation, partly in section, of a mounting block for one end of the movable cutter knife bar;

FIGURE 10 is an elevation, partly in section, and FIGURE 11 is a plan view of a mounting block for the other end of the cutter knife bar; and

FIGURE 12 is a detail sectional view of a center support member for the fixed cutter blade.

The adapter of FIGURE 1 consists generally of side frame members 10 and 11, base 12, removable cover 13, and shelf 14, together with a shaft 15 carrying the roll 16 of heat-sensitive copy-paper, guides 17 and 18, cutter assembly 19, and roller 20 all supported by the side frame members.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the roll 16 is supported at each end on a conical core member 21 rotatably mounted on shaft 15 and held in place by a movable brake member 22 consisting of collar 23, thumb-screw 24, and brake pin 25, the latter being pressed against the rotatable core 21 by a compression spring 26. The end of the shaft 15 is flattened to fit within a supporting slot in the frame member 11, thus to prevent rotation of the shaft. The roll 16 is thereby held under constant light braking action' so that the copying-paper 27 is removable under constant light tension.

The cutter assembly 19 consists of a movable cutter knife assembly 32, a support or brace 28 and a fixed cutter blade 29 mounted on end blocks 30, 31. These end blocks, further illustrated in FIGURES 9-11, are rigidly attached to the side frame members 10, 11, as indicated for block 36 in FIGURE 11. A brace 33, further illustrated in FIGURE 12, is attached to the support 28 approximately midway between its ends, and a lock screw 34 provided for adjusting and supporting the cutter blade 29 at that point. The ends of the blade are adjustably held to blocks 30, 31, as illustrated in FIGURE 9 by screws 35 and 36 and in FIGURES 10 and 11 by screws '46 and 47.

The movable cutter knife assembly 32 includes a rigid hexagonal shaft 37 having extended offset axle members 38, 39 and carrying a cutter blade 46 The blade 40, firmly attached to a fiat surface of the hexagonal shaft 37, extends well beyond the underlying edge of the shaft at the end carrying the adjacent axle 39, and just above or slightly behind such edge at the end carrying the opposing axle 38. The extended edge is ground to a small and inwardly offset are, as indicated in FIGURE 6. The assembly is supported by bearings 43 in block 31 and 45 in block 30, the elongate axle 33 extending past the block 30 and upright 14 for carrying at its end the Weighted handle member 41 of FIGURES 7 and 8, the same being held in place hyscrew 42.

The oppositely offset position of the bearings for the axles 3%, 3R, together with the taper of the knife 40, on rotation of the knife assembly 32 cause the extended edge of the knife 40 to make uniform contact with the edge of the blade 29 progressively along the entire length. The forward edge of the knife 40 is lightly rounded, and the extended corner may also be slightly rounded if desired, to permit the knife to enter into contact with the blade without initial catching. With the structure illusrated, a smooth rapid cutting action across the entire width of the sheet is obtained. The weight and position of the handle 41 are normally effective in holding the knife assembly in open position when not in use.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the base 12 includes a forward extension 48 which fits beneath the copy-machine 44, the position of which is indicated in part by dotted lines, and between the supporting feet thereof. The extension 48 is preferably covered with felt or the like to provide increased friction between adapter and machine. No hooks, braces, or other means of attachment are required; the adapter is easily fitted to the machine by simply sliding in place; it remains in position while in use, and is then easily slid away from the machine when no longer needed. However it may be left in place while copying on conventional letter-size copy-paper, without interference.

In preparing the adapter for use, and with the adapter in position at the front of the copy-machine and a roll 16 of copy-paper in place, the paper is first threaded down between the guides 17 and 18, between the knife assembly 32 and the blade 29, and out onto the shelf 14.

An opening 49 provided in the guide 17 provides access to the paper at this point for convenience in urging it forward during the threading procedure. The free end of the paper is then folded under, an edge of the printed sheet or other graphic original is inserted within the fold, and the composite urged along the shelf beneath the roller 20 and into the copying machine. The action of the machine advances the composite through the copying area and out at the base 12 as indicated in FIGURE 2, the copy-paper 27 meanwhile being drawn from the supply roll 16. As soon as the end of the original is reached, the knife assembly is rotated sufiiciently to start the cutting action, the forward motion of the paper itself then causing the action to continue until the web is severed.

Rather than carry out the printing or reproduction step in a copying-machine as hereinbefore identified, and which employs a transparent carrier belt and metal print roll for advancing the copy-paper and original in heatconductive pressure-contact, it is possible to omit the carrier belt and advance the copy-paper and original over the print roll by mechanically driving said print roll or a separate drive roll. In this modification the tension on the copy-paper is maintained sufficient to provide the desired pressure-contact between the copy-paper and the underlying original. Alternatively the original may be made the outer layer and maintained under tension against the underlying copy-paper on the continuously advancing surface of the print roll. In either case the composite is strongly and briefly irradiated as it passes over the print roll.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An adapter providing for processing of extended length graphic originals in a thermographic copying machine as herein described, comprising a frame fitting against said machine without obstruction of operational areas thereof and, supported on said frame, (1) a stationary shaft fitted with rotatable core members for supporting a roll of heat-sensitive copy-paper and with brake means for positioning said roll under slight constant resistance to rotation, (2) a pair of flat plate guide members for directing copy-paper from said roll toward a cutter device, (3) a rapid-action cutter device including a fixed blade member having a straight cutting edge and a freely rotatable knife member having a straight cutting edge and supported at oppositely offset axles in position to produce a progressive smooth cutting action between said edges across said copy-paper, said knife member being normally biased to a position in which said edges are not in contact to provide a slot-like space between said blade and said knife members for unobstructed advance therebetween of said copypaper, said knife member being disposed for selective contact with said copy-paper during the forward pull of the same so as to rotate said knife member to thereby cause the cutting edges to be positioned for cutting contact, (4) a roller for guiding the copy-paper and associated graphic original into said copy-machine, and (5) a shelf in line with the bottom of said roller, extending in the direction opposite the position of said copy-machine, and providing an entry area for aligning said original with said copy-paper.

2. A cutter assembly suitable for providing a progressive smooth cutting action across a continuously advancing strip of heat-sensitive copy-paper and including a fixed blade member having a straight cutting edge and a cooperating freely rotatable knife member rotatably supported at oppositely offset axles and having a straight cutting edge uniformly equidistant from the axis of rotation of said knife member, said freely rotatable knife 'member being normally biased with its cutting edge out of contact with the cutting edge of said fixed blade memher to provide a slot-like opening between said blade and said knife for free travel thercthrough of said copy-paper and being disposed forselective contact with said copypaper during the forward pull of the same so as to rotate said rotatable knife member to thereby cause the cutting edges to be positioned for cutting contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,001,912 Watson Aug. 29, 1911 1,005,228 Juline Oct. 10, 1911 1,010,520 Pringle Dec. 5, 1911 1,296,554 Redington Mar. 4, 1919 1,301,964 Overbury Apr. 29, 1919 1,453,458 Heinricks May 1, 1923 1,632,378 Lerner June 14, 1927 1,873,063 Somers Aug. 23, 1932 2,066,405 Knowlton Jan. 5, 1937 2,740,895 Miller Apr. 3, 1956 2,740,896 Miller Apr. 3, 1956 2,802,529 Nifong Aug. 13, 1957 2,805,715 Novick Sept. 10, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,641 Great Britain Dec. 14, 1890 of 1890 417,871 Germany Aug. 20, 1925 121,492 Australia May 24, 1946 

1. AN ADAPTER PROVIDING FOR PROCESSING OF EXTENDEDLENGTH GRAPHIC ORIGINALS IN A THERMOGRAPHIC COPYING MACHINE AS HEREIN DESCRIBED, COMPRISING A FRAME FITTING AGAINST SAID MACHINE WITH OBSTRUCTION OF OPERATIONAL AREAS THEREOF AND, SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME, (1) A STATIONARY SHAFT FITTED WITH ROTATABLE CORE MEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING A ROLL OF HEAT-SENSITIVE COPY-PAPER AND WITH BRAKE MEANS FOR POSITIONING SAID ROLL UNDER SLIGHT CONSTANT RESISTANCE TO ROTATION, (2) A PAIR OF FLAT PLATE GUIDE MEMBERS FOR DIRECTING COPY-PAPER FROM SAID ROLL TOWARD A CUTTER DEVICE, (3) A RAPID-ACTION CUTTER DEVICE INCLUDING A FIXED BLADE MEMBER HAVING A STRAIGHT CUTTING EDGE AND A FREELY ROTATABLE KNIFE MEMBER HAVING A STRAIGHT CUTTING EDGE AND SUPPORTED AT OPPOSITELY OFFSET AXLES IN POSITION TO PRODUCE A PROGRESSIVE SMOOTH CUTTING ACTION BETWEEN SAID EDGES ACROSS SAID COPY-PAPER, SAID KNIFE MEMBER BEING NORMALLY BIASED TO A POSITION IN WHICH SAID EDGES ARE NOT IN CONTACT TO PROVIDE A SLOT-LIKE SPACE BETWEEN SAID BLADE AND SAID KNIFE MEMBERS FOR UNOBSTRUCTED ADVANCE THEREBETWEEN OF SAID COPY-PAPER, SAID KNIFE MEMBER BEING DISPOSED FOR SELECTIVE CONTACT WITH SAID COPY-PAPER DURMEMBER TO THEREBY CAUSE THE CUTTING EDGES TO BE POSITIONED FOR CUTTING CONTACT, (4) A ROLLER FOR GUIDING THE COPY-PAPER AND ASSOCIATED GRAPHIC ORIGINAL INTO SAID COPY-MACHINE, AND (5) A SHELF IN LINE WITH THE BOTTOM OF SAID ROLLER, EXTENDING IN THE DIRECTION OPPOSITE THE POSITION OF SAID COPY-MACHINE, AND PROVIDING AN ENTRY AREA FOR ALIGNING SAID ORIGINAL WITH SAID COPY-PAPER. 